The invention relates to a hand tool used to rapidly recover an extensible and retractable barrier of helical barbed tape.
Helical barbed tape is widely used as an elongated antipersonnel barrier that may be staked to the ground to define a perimeter, installed at the base of a fence, or mounted on the top of a fence or a rooftop. Helical barbed tape is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,455 which issued to Meckel on Aug. 26, 1969, and is entitled "HELICAL BARBED TAPE UNITS". The helical barbed tape that is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,455 is defined by an elongated generally flat central support having clusters of barbs at spaced apart locations. Each cluster of barbs typically will comprise a first pair of barbs extending from a root on the radially outer side of the tape and a second pair of barbs extending from the root on the radially inner side of the tape. Each barb is a generally elongated planar structure having two generally opposed edges converging toward one another and meeting at a very sharp point. The barbs in each pair lie in a common plane, but extend in generally opposite directions relative to one another. Furthermore, each pair of barbs is offset relative to the plane of the central supporting portion of the tape such that one barb in each pair extends angularly away from one surface of the central support while the other barb in that pair extends away from the opposite surface of the central support. To achieve optimum effectiveness, the first and second pairs of barbs are offset in opposite angular directions. The metal stock that the tape is formed from must have a sufficient thickness to insure that each barb will be rigid enough to slash into an intruder.
The above described tape has a broad range of applications, all of which relate to security. For example, in a military application, one or more strands of helical barbed tape will be stretched along the ground to define a perimeter. In many applications, it is desirable to rapidly deploy the helical barbed tape barrier to meet a particular exigency. A rapid deployment antipersonnel barrier of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,423 which issued to Mainiero et al., on Mar. 5, 1985, entitled "EXTENSIBLE AND RETRACTABLE BARRIER AND ELECTROMAGNETIC DETECTOR THEREFOR". The barrier coil depicted in U.S Pat. No. 4,503,423 is particularly suited to be deployed along a desired barrier trace with a predetermined maximum length and minimum diameter for rapid interference-free deployment and subsequent collapsing of the barrier coil into its original condition for redeployment. A helical barbed tape barrier of this type is deployed such that a person attempting to pass therethrough will contact one or more of the closely spaced barbs on the tape, which are formed with sufficient sharpness to inflict a severe wound. This initial contact with the tape will also cause wavelike movements elsewhere on the helical tape causing other barbed clusters to be urged into the intruder.
To provide a barrier, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,423, which can be rapidly recovered for repeated use and which is particularly suited for rapid deployment under emergency conditions and thereafter retractable for re-use, it is necessary to further provide a rapid recovery tool. Heretofore, a prior known rapid recovery tool consisted of an elongated metal tube which was bent into a U-shape to define a base and two generally symmetrical elongated gripping arms. The prior art tool also included an elongated engaging arm extending outwardly from, and welded to, the base in the same plane as, and parallel to, the elongated gripping arms. The prior art tool was employed by inserting the elongated engaging arm into the end coil of extended helical barbed tape at a desired location on its periphery, and thereafter the elongated gripping arms were continuously pulled until the extensible and retractable barrier was fully recovered.
During a rapid recovery operation the helical barbed tape could come within close proximity to the elongated gripping arms, whereby the hardened razor sharp barb clusters on the tape could make contact with the hands of the user and inflict severe wounds thereupon. Although it was common practice to use gloves when recovering a barrier of helical barbed tape, the barbs are sufficiently sharp to penetrate through most gloves.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,423, the retractable and extensible barrier can be collapsed into a compact condition and stored in a desired enclosure. However, the size of the prior known recovery tool, in particular, the length of the elongated engaging arm, precluded it form being conveniently stored in the same enclosure as the collapsed barrier.
Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a tool for rapidly recovering an extensible and retractable helical barbed tape barrier in a manner that will protect the limbs of those who use the tool from severe injuries caused by contact with the razor sharp barbs.
It is an additional object of the subject invention to provide a recovery tool that is able to be conveniently stored in the same enclosure as a collapsed retractable and extensible barrier of helical barbed tape.